WOODPECKERS— CHICKADEES— CROSSBILL— CREEPER— MAGPIE. 



79 



will occasionally select a hole in a tree as a breeding place ; even 

 in the North I observed a pair several times about an old apple- 

 tree, which stood in a remote place, and, being aware that they 

 had a nest there, made repeated search for it ; but, after vainly 

 looking in every hole which I thought they could enter, gave up 

 in despair. But on passing the place one day, I saw the female 

 emerge from a very small orifice in a high limb, which was not 

 larger around than my arm, and upon examining, found the nest 

 concealed in it. The House Wrens breed in New England about 

 the first week in June ; in Florida, somewhat earlier. They are 

 constant residents in the South, but migrants at the North, arriving 

 in the spring about the first of May, and departing in early Oc- 

 tober. 



PLATE LIII. 



Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker. {Picoides arcticus.) 



Fig. i. 



The range of this bird is confined to the far North, touching the 

 extreme arctic region, and extending as far south as Northern Mas- 

 sachusetts, New York, and Ohio. Its nest is made by boring into live 

 trees, usually without regard to kind, pine, oak, or other timber being 

 selected indiscriminately, and the borings made near the first limbs. 

 They vary in depth from twenty to twenty-four inches, with an 

 entrance barely large enough to admit the occupant, but broad and 

 smooth at the bottom. The eggs are from four to six, rather 

 rounded, and pure white. One brood only is raised in a season, 

 and the young keep with their parents until the approach of au- 

 tumn, when they separate and shift for themselves. They seem 

 destitute of vocal accomplishments, their utterance being confined 

 to a loud shrill call. Their flight is long and undulatory, and 

 when on the wing they frequently give voice to their peculiar call. 

 They pursue insects on the wing, indulge in berries and other 

 small fruit, and in search of food move with great rapidity over the 

 trunks and limbs of decaying trees. 



Banded Three-toed Woodpecker. (Ptcoidcs americanus.) 



Fig. 2. 



This bird is very rare in the United States, and but little is 

 known of its habits. It is confined almost entirely to the arctic 

 circle, and is not migratory. It is found in the spruce and fir for- 

 ests lying between Lake Superior and the Arctic seas, and is most 

 common north of Great Slave Lake. 



Hudson's Bay Chickadee— Hudsonian Chickadee — Hudsonian Titmouse. 

 (Parus hudsontcus.') 



Fig- 3- 



This bird is confined to the northern and eastern portions of the 

 United States, and is found in Northern New York, Vermont, 

 New Hampshire, and Maine. Though in many things resembling 

 the common Black Cap, it is far more retiring in its habits, usually 

 confining its residence to lonely forests. Its song is far more dis- 

 tinct, the tsche-dee-dee-dee having almost the clear pronunciation 

 of the human voice. The nest is usually built in the hollow of a 

 tree or stump, two or three feet from the ground, is purse-shaped, 

 and composed of furs finely matted throughout. The eggs are of a 

 rounded oval shape. Though a shy bird, this Chickadee resents 

 all intrusion upon its haunts, and displays the utmost courage and 

 disregard of life in protection of its young. Dr. Brewer gives a 

 charming description of his attempt to examine one of their nests 

 containing young. This nest could only be reached by using the 



hatchet, and he tells us that " they flew at our faces, assailed our 

 arms as we wielded the invading hatchet, and it was difficult not 

 to do them unintentional injury without abandoning our purpose. 

 Before we could examine the nest, they had entered and had to be 

 removed again and again. As soon as we were satisfied that the 

 nest of this heroic pair did not contain what we sought, we left 

 them, and turned to look with equal admiration upon the indig- 

 nant assembly of feathered remonstrants by which we were sur- 

 rounded." 



White-winged Crossbill. (Loxia leucoptera.) 

 Fig. 4. 



This bird inhabits the northern parts of North America gener- 

 ally. It has been found as far south as Maryland. It is a resi- 

 dent throughout Eastern Maine, where it breeds in the winter. In 

 the arctic regions it finds shelter in the dense forests of fir and 

 spruce, and food in the seeds of their cones. Their diet is not 

 confined to. the floral world, however, canker worms and other 

 animal food proving equally acceptable. The female possesses 

 the faculty of song, and sings with equal sweetness with the male. 

 The nest is composed of moss, spruce twigs, nearly circular, and 

 is lined with coarse hairs and the shreds of bark. The eggs are 

 pale blue, the large end covered with fine spots of black and light 

 purple. They are very affectionate, Dr. Brewer recording the 

 death of one from grief at the loss of its mate. They congregate 

 in flocks, fly with an undulatory motion, and are fearless in the 

 presence of man. 



Brown Creeper. {Certhia familiaris.) 



Fig. 5- 



Though nowhere an abundant bird, the Brown Creeper is found 

 in every State and Territory in the Union. Owing to its markings 

 so closely resembling the bark of the trees which furnish its food, 

 the study of its habits is attended with some difficulty. It is a fear- 

 less bird, paying little regard to the presence of man. Solitary in 

 its habits, it yet is sometimes found associated with the Titmice and 

 small Woodpeckers. Its food is confined entirely to the small insects 

 which find shelter in the bark of trees. Up and down the most 

 rugged oak or elm it works its way, picking a dainty bit here and 

 there, but never using its bill as a hammer. It rarely proceeds 

 in a straight line, but constantly turns to the right and left, some- 

 times entirely circling the hole, and when one tree has been thor- 

 oughly examined, instantly flies to another, and thus day in and 

 day out spends its time. It builds its nest in decayed trees, some- 

 times using the holes deserted by the Woodpeckers, and without 

 much regard to symmetry, gathers together a mass of rotted wood, 

 lining it with feathers and the fur of small animals. The eggs are 

 usually five in number, small for the size of the bird, nearly oval 

 in shape, grayish-white, dotted with fine reddish-brown spots. Be- 

 sides the constantly repeated cree cree cre~ef> to which they give 

 utterance while searching for food, they possess a song somewhat 

 resembling, though much harsher than that of the Wren. 



American Magpie. {Pica caudata.) 



Fig. 6. 



This bird, which is nearly identical with the European species, 

 is confined to Western and Northern North America. In the New 

 World as in the Old, it is the same daring murderer and robber. 

 Its food consists of carrion, smaller birds, eggs, and the young 

 of Partridges, rats, frogs, mice, snails, worms, grubs, and cater- 

 pillars. It is possessed of a most omniverous appetite, and will 

 alight upon the backs of horses and mules, and work further mis- 

 chief to any galled places that may be found. So ravenous are 

 they that they have been known to fairly snatch food from the hands 



